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# Chairman apologises after failing to let councillor speak on tax freeze proposal for allotted time
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/chairman-apologises-after-failing-to-let-councillor-speak-on-tax-freeze-proposal-for-allotted-time/
- Published: 2022-04-19T07:10:00.000Z
- Updated: 2022-04-19T06:35:29.000Z
- Description: The chairman of Lichfield District Council has apologised after refusing to allow a councillor to speak for his allotted time at a meeting.
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: Politics, News

The chairman of Lichfield District Council has apologised after refusing to allow a councillor to speak for his allotted time at a meeting.

![Cllr Barry Gwilt](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/barry-gwilt-chair-of-ldc-1.jpg)

Cllr Barry Gwilt

At a meeting last month, Cllr Steve Normanwas speaking on a call for a one year council tax freeze.

Despite meeting rules permitting the leader of the Labour opposition group to speak for ten minutes on the issue, he was halted by Cllr Barry Gwilt after just three.

![Steve Norman](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/stevenormancrop.jpg)

Steve Norman

The chairman told Cllr Norman “you’ve had your ten minutes” and refused to let him continue despite protestations.

In after reviewing video of the meeting, the opposition leader submitted a written question on the issue to a meeting of the council last week:

> “Can he explain why he misled the council meeting?”  
>  
> Cllr Steve Norman, Lichfield District Council

Cllr Gwilt replied:

> “Cllr Norman is of course correct.  
>  
> “I apologise for cutting him short and at the next meeting of the council I will be stepping down as chairman.”  
>  
> Cllr Barry Gwilt, Lichfield District Council